Locals get taste of Hollywood on 'The Conspirator'

Robert Redford and 'The Conspirator' left Savannah last week, but professional, personal experiences remain

Stand-in Hunter McRae walks in the "Surratt House" for a scene near Chatham Square the second day of filming in mid-October on the set of "The Conspirator." Following behind is Chase Orsini-Liberatore, another stand-in. (Misty DeBlasio/Spotted?)

Stand-ins Chase Orsini-Liberatore, left, and Hunter McRae chat between filming on the set of "The Conspirator" in October. Throughout filming, both stand-ins found themselves mistaken for the principal actors by onlookers armed with cameras. (Misty DeBlasio/Spotted?)

Jeff Felser, Savannah City Council alderman, fourth from the left, stands with a group of actors who were used during the trial scenes of Mary Surratt\u2019s character in the movie \u201CThe Conspirator.\u201D Felser played a newspaper reporter. Courtesy of Jeff Felser

Rachel Evan Wood stands in a period dress as she prepares for her scene on the set of Robert Redford's film "The Conspirator" in Chatham Square in October. Hunter McRae was Wood's stand-in for the movie. (John Carrington/Savannah Morning News file photo)

It's not exactly the typical clothing to be wearing around the Coastal Empire, especially during a warm autumn.

But for 45 days, Hunter McRae and Chase Orsini-Liberatore were among a handful of Savannah locals who got to play an adult version of dress-up as they worked as extras and stand-ins on the set of Robert Redford's film "The Conspirator."

The feature film, directed by Redford, recreates the 1865 trial of Mary Surratt, the only woman among those executed for conspiring to kill President Abraham Lincoln. Set in Washington, D.C., the film featured several locations across Savannah's downtown, which was standing in for the nation's capitol. Filming wrapped up earlier this week.

For Orsini-Liberatore, working on the set offered a glimpse into what he hopes will be his future as an actor.

For McRae, it was a chance to stand in front of the lens after several years behind the camera as a photojournalist, most recently for the Savannah Morning News.

For both, it was nothing short of surreal.

Auditions and 'interviews'

Orsini-Liberatore, a performing arts student at the Savannah College of Art and Design, went to a casting call hoping to land a job working as an extra.

"They originally wanted me as one of the conspirators," he said, "then ended up casting me as James (McAvoy's) stand-in instead."

With an independent film, several television episodes and "lots" of student film experience under his belt, Orsini-Liberatore felt fortunate to land something on a major motion picture movie set.

"In a way, it feels surreal," he said. "For the first time, to jump on a ship and it be working on a Robert Redford film. I'd say it was very surreal."

McRae, on the other hand, submitted a photo on a lark, after a coworker at the paper encouraged her to give it a shot.

She was surprised to get a quick response.

"They said they liked me, but wanted me as a stand-in for Robin Wright (Penn)," McRae said, adding they wanted her to come in for an interview.

She didn't know who the actress was or what a stand-in did.

She did, however, know what an interview was - she had gone on plenty of assignments with reporters.

"But they only asked me how tall I was and got another picture," she said. "Then they called me in for a second interview."

When she returned, she found six other women who all looked very similar to her also waiting for a second interview.

"It was really weird," she said, adding she eventually also was asked to stand in for Evan Rachel Wood.

Organized chaos

It was the first day on set that Orsini-Liberatore and McRae met and became fast friends.

Electricity was in the air as crew members bustled about, testing light readings, double-checking hair and makeup - all in preparation for the roll of the camera.

"I tried to soak up everything because I originally thought I would only do this for a couple of days," McRae said, adding she ended up working on the set the entire time.

"It also felt like a time warp," Orsini-Liberatore said. "You'd see all these horses traveling on the streets, and (set designers) covered the roads with dirt.

"They transformed downtown - every street sign was replaced with kerosene lampposts. You'd look in one direction and everything looked like 1865, and you'd look backward and see 2009."

It was a big juxtaposition for McRae.

"As a photojournalist, you're always digging deeper to seek truth and complete reality," she said. "... Then, you step into this world of complete make-believe."

Orsini-Liberatore said his mom, who visited the set, called it "playtime for grown-ups."

But it wasn't all fun and games. Days typically stretched for 12 hours or more.

Both spent a majority of the time standing in front of camera lenses, lights and meters. They essentially stood in all the places the actors would use during the course of a scene. This would allow the film crew to adjust lighting and sound so the actors could return to the set and complete the scene.

McRae found herself challenged toward the end of filming, when she was asked to help McAvoy reshoot a scene by reading the part originally performed by Wood.

"They asked me if I could read the lines and I said yes, but I'd never done anything like that before," she said. "I tried to say the lines with as much emotion as I could. Afterward, Robert Redford said I did a good job. It was pretty thrilling."

The newspaper read: The feature film "The Conspirator," which was already being shot in and around Savannah, was still seeking background extras and "men of all types, ages 18-70, particularly those with facial hair and/or slight builds."

I asked myself, "Why not try?" I recalled U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston's positive recount of his extra role in the Miley Cyrus movie filmed earlier this year in Tybee. In addition, a historical depiction of the 1865 military commission trial which led to the hanging of Mary Surratt as a co-conspirator of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln intrigued and gripped me. I went to the post office, made passport photos and sent in an application.

Days passed, but then one night my cell phone rang and the voice said, "Can you come in for an interview and perhaps a fitting?" (Was he kidding...?)

The following day, I had a brief interview at the casting office. I was told I could be one of the official newspaper reporters in the movie's extensive scenes, which were going to recreate the military commission trial of Surratt.

From casting, I went directly to a warehouse-like space filled with multiple rows of 1865 period clothes. Measurements were taken quickly, and a costume was chosen for me. I then was photographed in costume and given an instruction sheet to follow for the 10 filming days.

As an extra, most of my days began with a 7:45 a.m. arrival on the set, a fast-paced change into costume and then proceeding to "hair and makeup," as told.

As an 1865 reporter of this military commission, that meant two definites: formal courtroom attire with hair greased down and inking of my writing fingers. My prop was a tri-fold, leather-bound notepad, fountain ink and/or pencil.

Each film day, which lasted 10 to 12 hours, was like a rollercoaster ride; we were a mass of characters hurrying and scurrying, and then waiting, waiting and waiting, which increased individual anxiety and hope. As the ride went upward, the peak would occur when either my group or my name was called to the set. With that flip of the switch, the ride sped forward until hearing the word "cut."

Extras quickly bonded as new relatives, encouraging each other to stay focused, be patient and/or relax. The crew of the movie and the primary actors were predominantly courteous and professional.

Being a trial attorney of more than 20 years, I was happy to fill a role in the courtroom. Nonetheless, it was not easy work, and non-verbal acting tasks were directed with precise detail and scrutiny. Each scene was filmed repeatedly, utilizing different cameras, directions, lighting and dramatic tweaking along the way. To me, it was like the development and creation of a third eye, and certainly my vision was changed forever.

As a member of Savannah's City Council, I intend to share these insights with my colleagues and our city's administration, at the appropriate time. Without a doubt, our city economically gains from this creative industry, and our global exposure is heightened and beckons visitors and tourists to Savannah.

Even so, we have only explored the first mile or two of a gigantic frontier. With proper safeguards, a permanent, large film infrastructure in Savannah is within our grasp.

In all, Savannah has the "it" factor. Our city has a unique style and substance in equal measure. For the movie screen, that's a magical formula for success.

-- Jeff Felser

Photographer gets on other side of lens

I was working at the Savannah Morning News as a photographer, and one day we received a press release looking for more extras for "The Conspirator."

I thought, "Why not?" and e-mailed my picture along with my measurements to the casting office.

To my surprise, I received a call about 10 minutes later asking if I would be interested in being not an extra but the stand-in for actress Robin Wright Penn, who plays the character Mary Surratt.

I didn't know the job description for being a stand-in for a movie shoot, and I didn't exactly know who she was - but I certainly knew who Robert Redford was, and I was excited for a chance to work with him. After I hung up the phone, I immediately looked her up and realized she was in "The Princess Bride," which was one of my favorite movies growing up.

What followed was a series of interviews that oddly consisted of asking how tall I was, followed by getting my picture taken with six or so other women who looked kind of like me, and then eventually getting my picture taken with the actress herself.

In my mind, it was a strange way to get a job - nothing like what it took to get into the photojournalism business - but I was excited about the opportunity when I was chosen for the part. I eventually also became the stand-in for actress Evan Rachel Wood, who plays the part of Anna Surratt.

At first, the strangest part of the job was being on the other end of the camera. I had to get used to being looked at for hours at a time while the crew perfected the lighting for each scene. It was quite awkward, but by the end of filming, I was so used to it that it didn't faze me anymore.

One day, a friend of mine came to visit the set. As I walked up to the line of tape that blocked the crowd from the scene, people swarmed around us as I gave her a hug.

One girl asked, giddy and star-struck, if I was the main actress. It was bizarre. Everyone was snapping my picture as if I were someone famous, not the same woman who has lived in Savannah and worked for the newspaper for the past three years. When I left, my friend said they were all asking her, "Who was that? Do you know her? Can I get a picture with you and your dog, too?"

It's strange to see how people react when close to fame - even if they have no idea who they are looking at!

For the first few days, I was in a hoop dress. It was fun to wear, and I loved the style, but after a while I felt extremely constricted when trying to eat or breathe and it was a complete nuisance - everyone had to make way for my big hoop when I walked past. Sitting down was a whole other issue, but I believe I perfected it by the end.

During a re-shoot one day, they asked me to say the lines during a scene because the actress was not there at the time.

I was thrown in there with a script. I stood outside of the frame - my heart racing as they called "action" - and had to perform like I had been to acting school. It was a rush! I hardly took my eyes off the script with the fear of missing a line, although James McAvoy was face-to-face with me, acting with great emotion. It must have worked, because it only took a couple of takes to get it right. James McAvoy thanked me, and I'll sheepishly admit Robert Redford told me I did a good job. This was probably the most exciting part for me.

I greatly enjoyed all the people I got to meet on set, and by the end it felt like a small family, each gifted and talented in their own unique ways - from the other stand-ins who became my friends to the script supervisor, on-set painter, camera operators, producers, assistants, director, costume department, extras. All were wonderful people working very hard as a team with one common goal and using their specific talents to make a grand project happen.

It was exciting to be a part of this, even if I felt like a glorified prop at times. It was a wonderful experience and a nice little break from my other life. I will cherish the contacts I made and the friendships that grew.

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